NORTH Ashrose ram Salto has continued its winning ways, sashed SA Ram of the Year at the Crystal Brook Show.
The August-shorn medium wool ram had previously won broadribbons at the Burra Merino Field Days and the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, Bendigo, Vic, and will now go on to represent SA in the Australian Ram of the Year lineup at the Rabobank National Merino Ram Show, Dubbo, NSW, later this month.
The ram had a micron of 20.7, 3.1 standard deviation, 14.1 coefficient of variation and 98.8 per cent comfort factor.
Judge Alistair Keller, Burra, said the ram stood out for its "production and scale".
"it has good, productive wool, and is probably the most productive sheep here on the day," he said.
Reserve champion ram came from Greenfields, Hallett.
The grand champion ewe, which will also be competing at Dubbo, was shown by East Bungaree, Hallett.
The August-shorn medium wool Poll Merino ewe had a 21.1M fleece, with 2.8SD, 13.3CV and 99.7CF.
Judge Charlie Brumpton, Jolly Jumbuck, Mitchell, Qld, said the size of the ewe - the biggest in the lineup - stood out, as did the quality of the fleece.
"It's got good wool and carries it right through," he said.
Reserve champion ewe was also shown by East Bungaree.
The March-shorn grand champion ewe was a Poll Merino exhibit, shown by Springvale North, praised for its "scale, length and purity" by Mr Keller.
"The style of wool, amount of cut - it was pretty hard to go past a ewe like that," he said.
The strongwool ewe measured 19.5M, 4SD, 20.5CV and 99.4CF.
The reserve champion March-shorn ewe was claimed by a North Ashrose ewe that had stood second to the champion in its class.
Grand champion March-shorn ram was awarded to an Old Ashrose, Hallett, exhibit with 20.9M, 2.8SD, 13.4CV and 99.9CF.
Judge Eddie Morgan, Mutooroo Pastoral, Cockburn, said it was an "outstanding" sheep.
"It has a huge bulk of white wool, carried all over the body," he said.
Greenfields won the reserve champion March-shorn ram in a tight competition against a second Greenfields ram.
MORE TO COME